Blossoming Friendship
by kiriesrain
Summary: The story of Blinded's life. From her arriving in the mansion up to her death. All chapters are finished...but I might add a fourth. An alt. ending. Maybe.
1. Default Chapter

_This is a fanfic of Fatal Frame I. It's going to be about the life of Blinded, her life before, during, and after the ritual. The story will be in her perspective. I also made up the name for her cause nobody knows her real name._

_This chapter describes her short life in the mansion and goes up to the beginning of Onigokko (Demon Tag). Hope you like it. _

**Blossoming Friendship**

I woke up early on the cold October morning. It wasn't even light outside yet. I don't remember falling to sleep in the doll room, of all the places in Himuro mansion to do so. The cold eyes of the dolls had frightened me and had pervaded my sleep, making me feel as if I were being watched constantly, not being allowed to leave. This was how I felt anyway when I passed the priests and especially when I passed the family master when I first entered this place.

My parents and I were given the opportunity to come visit the mansion. It was clear to my parents why, of all people in the surrounding village, we were chosen and they seemed slightly anxious by this news. I, however; was kept in the dark about the reason but at least I wasn't the only one not thrilled about going. My parents had said that, "It is too complicated for someone so young to comprehend. We'll tell you when you're older." There seemed to be more for them to tell me, but the priests had whisked us off before they could finish and the matter was dropped.

That was at the beginning of the month, now it was the 29th. I haven't seen my parents for the past three days now and I started to feel abandoned and lonely. There were other kids about my age that roamed about the mansion, but I get too shy around strangers so I keep away from them. I resolved to myself that today, I'll be courageous enough to ask someone where my parents have gone. And if they tell me that they've left, I'll go straight home after them. I don't feel like spending any more time here. This mansion makes me feel strange; it feels….unfriendly and full of anger.

Sounds could be heard outside, creaking from the wood mingled with voices. I felt sudden rushes of panic and I looked for a place to hide. I didn't want to hide behind or under the doll displays for fear of any sudden movement I make might disturb the fragile dolls. Looking behind me I saw a small closet under two shelves in which I could possibly fit in. Quickly, I grabbed the blanket I brought with me from home, which kept me warm despite its lightness, and dashed to the closet. I closed the door just as the other door slid open. It was a tight fit but I could manage being perfectly still so not as to make any noise.

The door shut silently and the low murmurs of voices were dying away. They were going past the room! But someone was still in here, I heard them. The soft, light patter of their feet and the swishes of a kimono. A child? Not one of the ones that I've been hiding from? Why were they in here? To look at the dolls, maybe?

I wanted to see who it was and what they were doing, so I slid the closet door open quietly and just enough for me to peek through to see. The room was darker than I had thought with the paper shade lamp in the center of the floor and a candle in the child's hand. I could see the girl wore a pale kimono with flowers and a yellow obi. She was staring at the kagome dolls on the left, probably the ones that were on a pedestal of some sort. After looking at that, she turned and looked at the sacred doll in a white kimono that was next to the closet where I was hiding. Was she looking for something or just staring at the dolls?

The black haired girl seemed transfixed with the sacred doll. Her eyes didn't leave it for a short while. I could feel my right leg going numb from sitting on it and I silently wished the strange girl would leave. Suddenly the girl's hand twitched and a soft cry came from her. The sudden movement and noise almost made me jump, but still I stayed perfectly motionless. I imagine the candle must have burned her hand. I couldn't see if it did because she strayed out of my sight.

After a slight rustling the girl turned to leave, but stopped just in front of the closet. Something had caught her attention. What was it? The door wasn't open enough for anyone to see a small child hiding within. She leaned down and pulled at a gray colored fabric. The tugging sent my hand forward and I looked at what it was. My blanket! A piece must have been left outside in my rush to hide! I grew panicky again when I realized there was no way out of this. I hastily grabbed my blanket back from the girl's grip and, making sure it was all there this time, I shut the door and held it tightly.

"Who's there?" the girl asked, surprised and even a little nervously. "Come out of there!"

I didn't answer her first question and there was no way I was going to leave until she was out of the room. As if the girl had read my mind, I heard her feet retreat from my hiding place and I could hear the door open then close. I waited and strained my ears to hear the noises outside. I couldn't hear anything, no creaking of the floorboards like the last time. Maybe because there was only one person this time. Who knows?

Slowly, I opened the door and crawled out of the closet. My blue kimono was a little dusty from being in there and my right leg was completely numb. I held my blanket tightly and limped out of the room, brighter than before now because the sun had just risen. I looked past the lattice outside and saw the cherry atrium. It would have been more beautiful and colorful had I been here in earlier months, but now it was very bland, almost gray. I turned to my left and at the end of the hall the black haired girl was there, waiting. She smiled and waved at me. I smiled back weakly then looked down at the floor.

"What's your name?" she called. I looked up at her but didn't answer. She walked over to me and leaned in front of me. Startled, I took a step back. The girl giggled. "You're very shy, aren't you? Haha….well, I'll start the introducing then. My name's Kirie. I live here and I'm a descendant of the Himuro family." She paused; she said all this in one breath and needed to take another. "I don't remember ever seeing you…. are you from the village?"

I nodded and hugged the blanket closer to my chest as if it would protect me from the girl's never-ending questions. 'Maybe she'll leave me alone if I answer her questions,' I thought to myself. "I'm Akiko." I said quietly, looking back at the floor.

"Akiko…so you're one of the visitors that the master was talking about then? Where are your parents?" I looked up at her. "They didn't let you come all the way here by yourself, did they?"

"Er….no. They were here with me, but they left a couple of days ago. I haven't seen them since." I looked back down at the floor. Why was I telling this stranger everything?

At this Kirie seemed to be confused and her tone changed a little, it was more sympathetic. "They just left you here?" I shrugged that I didn't know. "Well, that can't be right. Why would they leave you here?" Kirie paused and seemed to be thinking. "I have an idea," she said, grabbing my hand. "Come with me. We'll go ask one of the priests if they know what happened to your parents."

Surprised, I looked up at her and before I could say, 'Wait, you don't have to do that.' she was pulling at my hand and was forcing me to run behind her. Kirie led me around the other side of the lattice and we ran to another door at the other end of the hall. Quickly, I passed a glance to the other side of the atrium that I couldn't see. There was another small building with the Himuro crest on it, and there was a balcony above and to the left of it that could be reached from somewhere in the house. I could also see a door in the far part of the atrium built into a wooden wall. Briefly, I wondered what was behind there.

Kirie suddenly stopped and I almost collided into her from not paying attention to what she was doing. She opened the door and we both passed through. A few people were in this room but none of them seemed to notice us or didn't seem to care we were there. Instinctively, I closed the door and looked at the people. There was an air of excitement about these people for some reason. With my left hand, Kirie never let go of the right, I tapped her shoulder. She abandoned her search for a priest and turned to me questioningly.

"Who are these people and what are they happy about?" I asked, repeating twice more so that she could hear me.

"These people work for the family master," Kirie said, with a slight air of importance as if what she said was a secret that no one else knew. "They're happy because a new Shrine Maiden's going to be chosen soon." I was very confused and my face must have shown it because Kirie started again, louder. Loud enough for a man a few feet away to listen to what she was saying. "A Shrine Maiden is very important for the Himuros and the village. They protect everyone from the Cala-…."

"Kirie!" a demanding voice shouted from the top of the stairwell. His voice was so powerful that everyone in the hall, including Kirie and I, stopped talking and looked up.

I gasped and hid behind Kirie when I realized who it was. Hiding was completely useless though, the family master had seen me and his anger overpowered the feeling of anticipation that was there moments before. He waved a hand to the servants, bidding them leave. They all filed through the door Kirie and I came through even though there was another door across from us. It was possibly locked. Only after the last person left and the door had shut did the family master step down towards us.

His face was what scared me the most. Usually it was something such as a mask, hiding his true feelings so that he always appeared emotionless; however, that was not true at this moment. His haggard face was contorted now. I felt as though he was going to spit fire at us. What did Kirie say that could have unnerved him so?

Kirie didn't seem fearful of him at all; in fact she seemed pleased he was here. I wanted to ask her why but I couldn't. Not now. He stood in front of us now and looked between us both. He must have been amused at the fear he was putting in me because he had a small smile when he saw me. His eyes went back to Kirie's face and his fury went back into his cold eyes.

"What were the both of you talking about just now?" his voice was calm. "Did I hear you talking about the Shrine Maidens?"

Kirie shook her head "No, of course not, sir." Kirie said, hurriedly. "I was asking Akiko about her family…" another evil look aimed at me. "…because she said that her parents are missing."

He knew Kirie was lying but went along with her lie anyway. "Missing? How long have they been gone?" This question was for me to answer. I felt that talking to him was impossible. I swallowed hard to get rid of the lump in my throat and answered. "Three days now." He studied me before he answered. "Akiko…I remember meeting you and your parents when you first came here. You remember?" I nodded. "Yes, your parents did leave three days ago. Your father fell ill two days before they left. Fearing it was contagious, they left you here until it passes. When it does pass, they will come back for you."

"They told you this?" I asked, disbelieving everything he said. They would have told me this themselves, they wouldn't leave it for some stranger to tell me.

"Yes, they did," he said, noticing the speculation in my voice. "And I told them not to worry. I told them I would care for you as if you were _family_. A member of my own _house_." The way he said 'family' and 'house' made me wonder even more about my purpose there. Why would he stress those words?

It felt as though Kirie sensed the same thing I did. Hastily she bowed her head, and I followed her lead reluctantly, and then asked if we could leave. He said that we could and he walked to the opposite door, passing a large mirror I never noticed before. Kirie walked up the stairs and I followed closely behind her. I shot a quick glance to the door through a gap in the stairs and the wall that the family master went through. As I looked, I could see that same small smile he gave me, and I thought I heard a laugh as he locked the door behind him.

I wanted to ask Kirie the questions I was wondering about but every time I opened my mouth she would shake her head and tell me to, 'Wait.' She went behind a wall that cut off half the landing and a small door could be seen through a window in the wall. Kirie opened the door but I stood on the landing looking at a small flight of stairs with another door at the top of them. There were so many doors in this place. It was very easy to get lost.

"Are you coming?" Kirie called from behind the wall.

"Where does that door go to?" I asked, pointing at it. Kirie looked at it and motioned for me to go over to her. I turned away and went through the small door and entered the 'anteroom' as Kirie called it. There were boxes in the corner next to where we entered. Drawers with some dolls on them and kimonos hung from the wall. Kirie sat on the tatami and pointed at another for me to sit on.

"The master's been acting strange today," Kirie murmured to herself. "I wonder why he snapped like that…"

I couldn't hold it in anymore. "What did he mean down there?" Kirie looked at me, confused. "When he said, 'I would care for you as if you were _family_. A member of my own _house_.' What did he mean?" Kirie sighed and looked at the floor, as if the answer was there. She sat silently in thought and despite my frustration; I waited for her answer patiently. I felt as if Kirie and I had a lot in common, as if we were sisters. It was nice to have a friend in this place; I wouldn't know what to do if I didn't.

I twirled the ends of my blanket nervously and after a while the ends were starting to fray beneath my fingertips. Kirie jerked out of the trance and I looked up at her. "I think I know what he meant," she paused as if collecting her thoughts so they made sense, then she continued. "There are many branches of the Himuro family. I'm a good example of this because my last name isn't Himuro, neither were my parents, I think." she stopped again. Did she know her parents? "But I'm a descendant of the Himuros. I told you that when we first met this morning, remember?" I nodded. This morning seemed so long ago. "Maybe you're a descendant too."

I stared. A Himuro? Me? It seemed impossible, but then my parents never really talked about our ancestors. Were they ashamed? I heard many stories about the Himuros and the rituals they perform. That would explain why my parents were nervous about coming here. I frowned at the floor while these thoughts swirled around my brain. Kirie tapped my shoulder and I looked up. She was smiling again as she did this morning. That same bright, warm smile that could make any pain or sorrow go away instantly. No evil could come from her, even if she was a Himuro.

"It isn't all bad, you know? Being a Himuro." she stood up and went to another door beside the dresser. "Sure we're not that well liked, but we are important. Without us this place would be…." she stopped, probably remembering earlier with the Himuro master. "Are you hungry? I know I am."

For weeks following October 29th, Kirie and I grew inseparable. People of the house thought that we really were sisters. She showed me the whole house and soon I grew confident that I could find my way through the house blindfolded. She showed me great hiding places, but I still thought my best was the closet in the doll room. Hers was under the porch that led to the atrium.

Being with Kirie helped me with my shyness as well. It wasn't completely gone but I could at least talk to people instead of looking at the ground and talk to it. I had some friends among the servants and the kids that were here as well. I could talk to the priests but my voice was still quiet and I always twirled the sleeves of my kimono. I still stared at the floor while talking to them though. Although, I avoided talking to the family master at all costs. He was the only exception to my newfound confidence.

I adored all my friends at the mansion but I still missed my parents. I now know the family master lied to me about the 'illness' that my father had. I told Kirie about my thoughts and she didn't disagree. She didn't agree with what I thought either. She seemed to have her own ideas about what happened to my parents but she wouldn't reveal them to me. Perhaps she was protecting me from something. I never asked her.

On November 25th, the family master brought every young girl in the mansion to the room with the big fireplace. There were 5 kids there, including me and Kirie, and we were all wondering what was happening. Why would he put all the children, specifically all girls 7 years old, in one room? Kirie and I sat on the stairs while everyone else played with the ball from the doll room. Two priests guarded the room, one guarded the door leading into the hall, and the other guarded the door to the tatami room.

"What do you think is going on?" I asked Kirie, quietly as a priest looked at us. "This is strange, don't you think?"

"It is not strange," she said. "They're getting ready to pick another Shrine Maiden." I frowned. Kirie told me all about the Shrine Maiden and her duties during my stay here. It was a close-kept secret that no one outside the Himuro family could know. I was the only outsider that knew, even though I was considered a Himuro now. Kirie said that it was, 'an honor and a horror.' I believed it was more of a horror, and I think Kirie did too. Neither one of us told the other our beliefs about it because it was forbidden. Even among the family.

Footsteps from behind the door that led to the hall could be heard and both Kirie and I turned quickly. The guard pushed back the door and two people entered. All the girls looked at the family master whose arm was around the woman visitor's. No one had seen this lady before and we all noticed there was something wrong with her. The lady's free hand was roaming wildly across the walls and she turned her head at any movement made.

**She was blind. **

As she entered the light we could all see the lightly red stained bandage over her eyes. She was so pale it was as if she hadn't been in the sunlight for years and her faded kimono hung on her loosely. This lady was near death, we could all see that. One of the young girls gasped and the lady's head turned straight towards her, her free arm reaching out trying to grab her. I turned to Kirie and saw that tears were welling up in her eyes. She brushed them away with the back of her hand and she regained her calm outward appearance. Inside I knew that she was crying. I felt the same way. There was no possible way that no one was sympathetic to this lady.

I was proven wrong when the heartless family master talked to all of us as calm as he always was. "This is the Blind Demon," he started, looking at all of us. "I imagine that you've all played Demon Tag before, correct?" All the girls nodded out of fear for talking. "Well, that's what I brought all of you here for. As soon as I let go of her arm she will chase you. The first caught shall be the next Demon, the game will go until the last girl is caught. Do you all understand?" Everyone nodded again. "Excellent."

He loosened his grip on the Demon's arm and he slowly let go…..


	2. Darkness Everlasting

_Thanks Dancing-Emu for the first and only review! I'm so happy someone liked it._

_Here's the second chapter of Akiko's story. The ritual is slightly graphic._

_The story starts right where it left off and goes through to a few days after Akiko's ritual. Once again, enjoy._

**Darkness Everlasting**

…he backed away from her slowly and made his way out into the hall, the blinded lady listening to the sounds closely with her head cocked to her side. The door snapped closed loudly and she stood to face it. I turned to Kirie, who was one step higher than I was, and I opened my mouth to say something. Kirie turned and put her hand over my mouth. Shaking her head she mouthed the words, 'You don't want to get caught first, do you?' I shook my head and looked back down.

All the other girls were lined up against the small cabinets. One of them was trying to sidle to the staircase opposite us. She made it to the opening in the wall before stepping on a loose floorboard. Everyone stared at her apprehensively. It made no sound from the pressure of her foot, but if she even moved one inch it would. The girl stayed perfectly frozen in place, watching the lady warily. The lady's breathing was the only thing that could be heard in the room. Even the priests were motionless.

Suddenly, the lady started to move about the room with her hands stretched out in front of her, grabbing the air. She was heading for the door she came through. As she moved closer to the door and farther away from the girls, it seemed the girls decided that they should move. All at once they darted around the room making all types of noise to distract the 'demon'. Kirie nudged my arm to go onto the next floor and we both dashed as fast and as quietly as we could up the stairs, while the lady grasped frantically in front of her.

The chaos stopped just as abruptly as it had begun. Now Kirie and I were on the second floor looking down at the sight below, two girls were on the other staircase behind the wall, and the last girl was on the first step of the stairs Kirie and I were just on. The 'demon' smashed into the cabinets and was ripping at the contents in and on top of them. 'This must be driving her insane,' I thought to myself, staring at the lady pitifully. 'The sudden noises then silence, has she lived like this all her life?' The lady threw the contents everywhere. Something she threw behind her hit the fireplace, making a loud clang. After hearing the clang, the lady went ballistic again and inadvertently tripped on the edge of the fireplace.

Seeing her chance, the girl on the first step ran to the other staircase. She must have told the others behind what was happening because they all entered the landing and went over to the two of us. "How long have the two of you been up here?" one of them asked Kirie quietly. It was the one who had stepped on the loose floorboard. "Since the game started," Kirie said. "You saw us, why are you asking? You know we shouldn't be making any noise." The girl shrugged and looked back at the floor to where the lady was, and gasped. We all tore our attention from the girl and looked down to where she was pointing. She wasn't there. The 'demon' wasn't there!

'Where was she?' I thought. Everyone else had to be thinking the same thing from the expressions of surprise shown on their face. Turning around I saw she wasn't on the nearest staircase waiting to grab us behind by surprise. She had to be on the other staircase. But if she was, why wasn't she on the second floor by now? 'She _does_ have to take her time. But still…' I thought, answering my own question. '…she should be up here.'

We stayed there thinking about what we should do for a long time. Finally, as if they were as anxious as the lady was in the beginning, the three girls went to look at the other staircase. "You're going to get caught," I hissed to them. They waved my warning away as if it were nothing and went ahead. Kirie and I backed away and watched as they stepped into the opening and peered inside. A scream could be heard from inside and the girls ran back towards us.

"Who screamed?" Kirie asked, as one of the girls stopped in front of her. "The 'demon' did," she said, pointing back to the opening. "She almost grabbed me but I dodged her."

"Where'd she go?" I asked, noticing she wasn't coming up. "Did she go back down?" the girl shrugged. "How could you not know?" The girl pretended not to hear me and went back with the other two. This game was getting on every one of our nerves. I could only imagine how aggravating it was to the lady.

I looked at the opening on the first floor, waiting for her to jump out and run up the stairs to grab us one by one. Kirie stood watching the other opening, expecting the same thing to happen that I was. 'This isn't a game anymore,' I thought, leaning over the railing. 'It's a hunt…..for the next sacrifice.' Looking over my shoulder at the group of girls, I could see how blissfully unaware they were at what the family master was planning to do. I sighed and looked at the fireplace. A thought suddenly hit me.

I grabbed a rock I saw on the floor next to my foot and aimed it at the fireplace. Everyone stared at me as I released the rock and it hit the fireplace dead-on. A loud shriek could be heard from behind the wall over the ringing and the lady appeared on the floor we were all on. The girls gasped and ran quickly down the stairs. Kirie backed into the wall as quietly as she could as I followed. The lady had hurried to the turn and stopped just short of running into me. I stopped moving and stared at her. She was an arms length away from grabbing me. I could feel her shallow breaths washing over my face. One wrong move and I would be caught.

My right leg, which was behind me from staying in the walking backwards position, was buckling from the weight I placed on it. I couldn't stand like this much longer. I was going to fall soon. The lady took a step forward as if she could sense I was right in front of her. She took another step and another…finally I lost my balance and fell with a crash onto the wooden floor.

The lady cried out again and grabbed wildly as I crawled backwards toward the wall. She followed me closely with her hands on the floor, skittering across it like spiders. I continued going backwards, reaching at the floor. All of a sudden, my hand grasped at air instead of wood. I was at the top of the stairs! I stopped from surprise but the 'demon' continued only stopping as her hand cupped around my ankle. She smiled slightly and in my shock I lost my balance. I fell down the stairs and I lay sprawled on the floor, pain coursing throughout my body.

That didn't deter the 'demon' from continuing her search for the others. I heard her walk down the stairs, and she stepped over me as she reached where I lay. 'How did she know exactly where I was?' I thought. My thought was distracted as the three girls screamed and ran in opposite directions. I lifted my head weakly and looked at the sight with blurred eyes. Was I crying? My whole body was numb from the pain; I couldn't even feel the ground beneath me.

I could vaguely see three small figures run rampant with a tall, gray figure following them closely behind. The second grabbed wore a black kimono, third wore a fiery red, and fourth wore a jade green. Kirie wasn't caught until last and she probably wouldn't have been caught for a long time had she not run down to see how I was. As soon as she reached me, the blind lady grabbed her arm. Kirie shook it away and looked down at me.

"Are you alright?" she was worried about me. _She_ was worried about _me_. "Akiko? Are you alright?"

"You're the sacrifice," I muttered quietly. "You're the next maiden and you're worried about me?" The blind demon heard what I said and turned away. Was she sympathetic to this? Why would she be? It wasn't her who had to die; it was Kirie, my one friend in the whole world. Why? "Why does it have to be you?"

I felt a sudden wet drop slide down my face. It wasn't a tear from my eyes. It was Kirie's. The door from the hall opened and the family master stepped inside talking with the priest who had guarded that door. He must have left after the 'game' had finished so he wouldn't distract the lady. Kirie brushed away her tears with the back of her hand again and watched the master as he leaned down in front of us. I tried to sit up but my arms felt too weak and I gave up. He looked down at me and motioned for the priest to help me up. The priest held my shoulders strongly, but not strong enough to cause any pain. The other priest that guarded the door upstairs came downstairs as well, however; he grabbed Kirie.

"Take Kirie to her new room," the master said to the priest holding her. He nodded and took her upstairs. Kirie craned her head around him and mouthed something to me when the master turned to tell the other girls to leave. I stared back hopelessly at her. I didn't know what she said. She repeated it again but the priest opened the door and blocked her from my view. 'What was she saying to me?' I thought sadly as the door closed. 'Why wouldn't she say it out loud? If that priest moved I probably could have caught it.'

I continued to stare at the door half expecting Kirie to come back and tell me what it was, but I knew that it wouldn't happen. A slight cough brought me back and I turned my head quickly. The family master looked at me and had that small, malicious smile that made me shiver. "Tomorrow is an important day for you, Akiko. Did you know that?" I shook my head slightly. "Well it is….and I'm glad that you are able to be the one to participate in it," he said coldly. What was he talking about? Why was he talking to me this way?

He walked past me, his sleeves brushing my arm, and went upstairs. The priest urged me to follow. I walked up the stairs slowly with the priest steadying me. My leg was still in pain and going upstairs didn't help. We followed the master as he went through the tatami room, and into the walkway. After passing the large mirror he turned left. At the end of that hall, beside a candle stand, was a white door. He opened it and the priest pushed me through. It was the koto room. Kirie and I would sit in here for hours, playing the koto. I was the better player. At this memory I could have cried. I'd never see Kirie again.

The door snapped shut and I turned around hastily. The priest had left! I never noticed that he had let go of my shoulders. "You'll stay here for the night," the family master said to me. I turned back and glared. Why was he still here? "Tomorrow is important," he repeated. "You are important. Without your sacrifice…" he trailed off.

"Sacrifice?" I blurted out. He smiled the cold smile again. "Tomorrow night…" he left, locking the door behind him. I stood rooted to the spot, horrified. I was going to die too? Why? Why me? Why Kirie? Why anyone?

November 26th.

I sat in front of the koto, quietly strumming the strings to no obvious melody. My eyes were blurry from staying up the whole night with yesterday's events flashing across them. The girls and the 'demon', I wonder what happened to them? Were they still here? 'Why should I care about them?' I thought sullenly, striking the string harder. 'It's their fault this is happening to me and Kirie.'

A short rapping could be heard from the door. I jumped a little and wondered if it was the master. The door unlocked and creaked open slowly. Two hands squeezed through the opening and placed two bowls and a cup on the floor. After the bowls were placed the door snapped closed and was locked again. I could hear hurried footsteps turning to go back to the tatami room. I got up and looked into the bowls. There was some food in the both of them with some water in the small cup. I put them next to the koto. I had no appetite. All I could think about was this 'sacrifice'.

'Why is it so important?' I thought leaning against the wall as my eyes fluttered. 'They have Kirie so why would they need me? She's more important…' I yawned and gradually fell asleep.

I awoke hours later. The faces of my parents had swirled about in my dreams. I could barely remember what they looked like now that I was awake. I almost cried again in despair. Were they waiting for me? Did they forget about me? I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand and looked about the room. The food that I placed earlier was gone. I wished I had eaten it now after hearing my stomach rumble from hunger. I stood up and stretched. My arms were a little swollen from the fall yesterday, and my legs were sore from the multi-colored bruises on them.

I pushed back my black hair and sat patiently in front of the koto. I twirled my light blue sleeves nervously. How much longer until my 'sacrifice'? I sighed and started playing the koto again, thinking about my parents and what had happened to them.

Loud footsteps could be heard from outside the door. I stopped playing and listened to them intently. There had to be a group of people coming this way. Suddenly they stopped altogether and an unlocking sound came from the door. I resumed playing just as the door opened and the family master stepped in. I tried to avoid looking at him by concentrating on what I was playing.

"It's time, Akiko," he said. I ignored him and continued to play. "Did you hear me, Akiko? It's time. Now!" His voice was muffled a bit. Hesitantly, I stopped and looked up at him. As soon as I saw him and the priests, I covered my mouth with my hands to mute my gasp.

The priests had oddly shaped red figures on their faces. They might have been there all the time, but I had never looked at their faces. I was too afraid to ever look them in the eyes. The family master terrified me the most. He wore a pale mask with the face of a demon. Horns were at the top and an angry expression was permanently frozen in its grotesque shape. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the sight. Why was he wearing that?

Two priests walked behind me and each grabbed one of my arms. The family master led the way once again, this time through the tatami room, the fireplace room, the rope hall, and he stopped in the entrance to the mansion. He walked to a wall with an angry mask on it and pushed on the wall. I watched anxiously. To my surprise, the wall rotated and another passage could be seen behind it. The master held it open until we passed the threshold. After we were all in the cramped hall the master grabbed the angry mask and went on ahead. The priests holding me stayed behind, but the other two went with the master. I looked around at the wooden hall and wondered: 'A secret hall? How long has this been here?'

I listened as all three of their footsteps died away and a door at the right end of the hall opened. Where were they going? A sudden unlatching sound startled me. It came from a door in front of us but the wall was in the way. I twisted around the wall to see what door it was. The priests gripped my arms more tightly. They must have thought I was trying to run. "Where would I go?" I asked, not noticing I said it out loud. The priests didn't respond to my question, however; they loosened their grip a little. 'Were they sympathetic?' As soon as I thought this, the image of the 'oni' turning away from my and Kirie's conversation shone in my mind. She was sympathetic too. I remember asking myself if she was.

**_Why was only the master so indifferent to what he was doing?_**

They had all come back and we went to the door that had unlocked. This door was different from all the others in this hall. It was more intricately designed and it had a mask that was permanently placed onto it. I gazed at it. There were eyeholes but no eyes and the mouth was wide open, as if it were screaming. As soon as I entered the room, a sudden strange feeling shot through my body. The whole house felt full of anger, but here it…it was magnified. Every particle had a feeling of fury mingled with sadness. What happened here?

The priests placed me on a slightly raised platform in the center of the room. They continued to grasp my arms. The other two went to either side of the door and watched me. Did they expect me to struggle? I turned to my right and saw the ceremony master's outline standing in front of something on another small platform. It was too dim to see what he was doing. But I could see him lift something from the alcove carefully as if it were very fragile. He walked over and stopped in front of me. I looked down at what he was holding as he chanted something softly. It was a white mask. Well, not a mask exactly but it would cover someone's eyes. I looked at it again as he shifted his fingers. There were sharp stakes set where the eyes would be. "Why does it have…?" I started. "Don't interrupt, Akiko," the master muttered, resuming his low chanting. I whined and tried helplessly to break away from the priests' grip. There was no way I could get them to release my arms. I continued desperately, but it was no use. **I was trapped**.

The master stopped chanting as he slowly raised the mask above his head. The priests continued chanting where he left off. I continued to struggle against my captors, weaving in every direction to get them to let go. The master was looking up at the mask seemingly oblivious to my actions. I looked at the mask too, still trying to get away. As soon as I looked up I regretted it. The mask's stakes were pointed downward, pointing directly at my eyes. I gulped hard as the master looked down at me and in one fluid movement, his arms flew down and the mask hit its mark.

I emitted the loudest and most painful scream I ever had in my life. I felt the wooden stakes in my eyes, rubbing against the inside. Blood dripped down my face in great amounts. It even felt as if my eyes themselves were trying to ooze out. The priests let go of my arms and instinctively my hands shot up to my eyes. I backed away and fell to my knees. The pain was excruciating. The blood wouldn't stop. **No one tried to help me**. I tried to cry but my shattered eyes could only bleed. "My eyes!" I shouted. Over and over I kept shouting "My eyes!" Nothing else could be said. Weakly, I pulled at the mask but it wouldn't budge. "Why!" I gasped. "My eyes…"

I felt hands grab my arms once again, pulling them down away from my eyes. It must have been the same priests who had forcefully escorted me here. They pulled me to my feet and I felt someone lean down in front of me. A mask grazed the side of my face. My hands clenched as the master breathed into my ear, "The ritual's not completed yet. _I_ have to take the mask out, but we're not yet. So, save me the satisfaction and stop pulling at it." Frantically, I tried to get at him. The priests held me tighter so I gave up.

"**I _hate_ you**," I muttered.

He only laughed. I heard a door open and footsteps. The priests nudged me and I walked where they led me. The walk was long. I had no idea where we were going, but I knew all the rooms we were in. We left the hall the way we came and went through the entrance. The footsteps were louder now that I couldn't see. Sounds. The lady depended on it. Now I have to too. "What happened to the blind girl?" I asked. I didn't get an answer until we were in the rope hall. "She left," the master said simply. "Where'd she go?" I asked, after a rope smacked my face. The mask was starting to irritate me. The blood did too. When was the blood going to stop? "She went home. Now stop asking questions!" I fell silent and kept walking. 'Yeah, right. Just like my parents did.'

The paces slowed down. We had to be in front of the mirror. I thought we would go right and they would put me back in the koto room. Instead the priests led me to the left and we entered the grand hall. The slight incline from wood to carpet made me stumble, but the priests caught me. I tilted my head and remembered how the great hall looked. The three sliding doors and the altar that was placed on the wall in front of us. We made a right and entered the walkway. I stumbled again after leaving the grand hall and after entering the burial room. As we passed a table I felt sudden warmth. There were candles here. I could hear the flames crackle. We walked into another room. The rubble room. It was cold here.

The priests stopped but there was movement to the upper left. I heard something slam and then a sliding noise. I tried to remember this room's layout but I couldn't. A louder slam startled me and we moved again. 'It must have been a door.' The next hall had an echo and it felt cramped. It was colder in here than it was in the rubble room. We made a few curves and the same slamming, sliding, and louder slamming was heard. The door closed again as we all entered another room.

This room was different than the others. It had a gravel floor and it had more of an echo. I heard steps go to the left and slight clatters going down. 'Going down?' I thought, confused. The priests led me down and grabbed me as I almost fell off the edge. One of the priests leaned down and whispered, "There are three ladders here." I leaned down and felt a pole in the ground. "Go down carefully."

I went down the ladder carefully, just as I was told. Another priest grabbed my arm and led me to the second ladder as the other two came down the first. They did the same thing on the third ladder. After I reached the bottom, I felt an extreme heat. I turned and placed my hand over the fire. The priest grabbed my arm roughly and led me to the center of the room. With my free hand I grabbed a rope. I traced what the rope was tied to and felt a rock. It must have been as thick as my body and taller than the master. The priest lifted me over the rope and I wandered around, grasping the rope to know where I was.

"Where are we?" I asked. "Why is this here?"

"We're at the demon mouth," the master said. He was behind me. I went over to him by following the rope. "This door, which you can't see, leads to a passage taken by the Shrine Maiden. Beyond that path is a door. This door is the Hell Gate which the Shrine Maiden is sacrificed to keep closed. The maiden has yet to be sacrificed…"

"Kirie?" I asked, concerned. She was just chosen why would she die now? "No," he said, irritably. "…not Kirie. The maiden chosen before her." He paused so I asked him another question. "Why do you need me then?"

I heard him walk closer to me. He stopped and his hands went to the mask. Grabbing both sides he prepared to pull it out. "We need you because with your sacrifice the demons beyond the gate will be blinded as well." As I wondered what he meant by this I felt him lightly tugging at the mask. After three light tugs, he pulled harder on it causing it to jerk out. I yelled again in pain as I felt my eyes slide out with the mask. The tendons of my eyes hung loosely against my eyelids and the blood flowed more freely down my face. My hands flew up to them again and the blood splashed into them instead of falling straight to the ground. I heard the master walk away from me and someone else walking towards me. The person walking towards me knelt down in front of me and pulled my hands from my face. The person put a piece of cloth over my eyes, turned me around and tied the back tightly underneath my hair.

The cloth soaked up the blood so that it didn't stream down my face as freely. The person turned me back to face them and wiped my face and hands. The person put another piece of cloth in my hands and patted my head softly. Was it the priest who had warned me about the ladder? I heard all of them walk away and climb up the ladders. The door slammed and they were gone. I heard other footsteps go up and go through the door too. I looked up at what I assumed was the door after hearing the master yell, "You'll have to find your own way back, Akiko. You're on your own now, if you can make it back, you're free to roam around the manor. _If_ you make it back." He added, sinisterly.

The door slammed shut loudly. **I was alone**.

Four days passed since my ritual was performed and I was left to find my way back after being left in the demon mouth. I had no idea how I made it out of the demon mouth, but one of my friends who was a servant led me back to the koto room after he saw me in the burial room. I couldn't tell him what happened and he didn't press me to know. He also helped me make the koto room into my own room. He hasn't come by ever since then. I guess that the master did the same thing he did to the last blind demon and my parents.

**_I really am all alone now….stuck in an everlasting darkness…_**


	3. Madness of the Calamity

_If you read this far you finally reached the third and final chapter! Thanks Akaichou for the other review!_

_For the next fic I'm thinking about doing one for Yae beginnig to end. What do you think about that?_

_Back to this one though.This chapter starts ten years after Akiko's ritual. Startsa littlebefore the Calamity and goes up to Akiko's death awhile after the Calamity. _

**Madness of the Calamity**

I hugged myself tighter as an icy cold wind washed over me, blowing my hair in my face. I listened to the branches of the tree crack and sway in the wind. After ten years of blindness I could still remember exactly how the atrium looked. I put my right hand on the rail and leaned against it just as a door opened. I turned my head slightly to the left and hid my face from the people who had entered the atrium. Footsteps ran past me and the sound of high pitched laughter rang in my ears. There were a lot of people in the mansion today, children and adults, all Himuros in some way. Today is an important day. Today is the ritual of the Shrine Maiden. "Today Kirie dies," I muttered as the door farthest from me closed. I sighed and ran my fingers over the cloth that hid my eyeless sockets.

Ten years….

I still had nightmares about the Blinding Ritual….the mask with the stakes, the mask on the door to the blinding room, the ceremony master's mask… I trembled at the sudden flash of it in my mind. 'People can't imagine that being the last thing you ever see.'

Another door opening caused me to look down. I didn't want anyone to notice me today, not that anyone does normally, but I just didn't want any questions or pity to be put on me from visitors. The footsteps came closer to me slowing down to a stop. I turned abruptly in the opposite direction when a hand grabbed my wrist. I yelped and tried to get away. "Akiko, settle down will you? It's alright." I relaxed as I realized whose voice it was. "Daisuke, what are you doing here?"

Daisuke was a servant who helped me get around the manor. "You haven't come by for days. I was…worried." I paused, remembering what happened to my other friend who helped me get back to the koto room after the ritual. I didn't want anyone else to get hurt for helping me. Enough people already have. "You need to relax, Akiko. You're very jumpy lately." I sighed. I couldn't relax. Not today. I smiled weakly. "You didn't answer my question. Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be helping with the visitors?"

"Yeah, I am," he said, quietly. "…but they've gotten on my nerves. Besides, there are lots of others who can help them get around. They won't notice one servant's gone, will they?" I shrugged. The hand that held mine started to tremble slightly. "Brrr…How long you been out here? It's freezing." Daisuke shivered again. "Let's go inside, okay?"

"No, I don't want to get in anyone's way, especially the master's. Anyway it's not _that_ cold, Daisuke. I'm fine, so I'll just stay out here." Just as I finished talking another chilly gust made me shudder. Seeing my shudder, Daisuke led me to the burial room. All the candles had to be lit for it to be so warm in here. I blew into my hands and rubbed them together to warm them up. I was surprised at how numb they were. They didn't seem that cold after being out there for over three hours. I put my hands on the table nearest me and felt for a candle stick. After finding one, I placed my hands over the small fire. I could start to feel my fingers after a couple of minutes.

"You always were a terrible liar." Daisuke said to my right. I turned toward him. "Always? You haven't known me for that long." Soft footsteps were heard behind the door that led to the walkway. Daisuke continued to talk to me and I pretended to listen to what he was saying. He couldn't hear the noise. The door opened and the footsteps went around the divider. Daisuke stopped whatever it was he was saying to me and muttered, "Oh…hello, sir." The master? Here?

"Daisuke," the voice wasn't the master's, it was nicer. One of the priests. I let out a breath and turned away from them. "You're not supposed to be here, are you?" Daisuke sighed and hurriedly tried to explain what he was doing here. "I was looking for Akiko and someone told me she was outside. I wanted to tell her something…" he paused. What did he want to tell me? He didn't mention anything outside. "I'm sorry for neglecting my duty. I'll go back to the entrance now." I could hear him turn away and go behind the curtain. "I'll talk to you later, Akiko," he called. The door closed loudly. I listened to his footsteps die away as he went upstairs.

"Akiko," his voice was quiet, was he sad maybe? "What did Daisuke tell you?" I turned around to so I wouldn't talk to the wall. "He didn't tell me anything, important at least." The priest stayed silent. "Nothing?" I shook my head. What would he tell me that was so important? Or was he just lying to the priest so he could have an excuse for missing his duty? If that was it I probably should have gone along with it. But the silence from the priest made it seem that he knew what it was about. I stood there, confused. "I need to get back to the ceremony master. Thank you, Akiko." I nodded. He opened the door to the atrium and left.

'Daisuke said he would be in the entrance. I could go there and ask him about what he meant to tell me.' I thought. 'But, the priest might be going to tell the master about Daisuke. Who knows what will happen if he hears about it?' I twisted the sleeves of my kimono, wondering what I should do. I want to know what's so important, but the fastest way to the entrance is through the grand hall…which is filled with lots of people. I wanted to avoid everyone today. At any cost I wanted to be left alone. After all, I've been alone since I was seven. Loneliness was what I was used to.

I sighed and made up my mind to go through the grand hall. 'If Daisuke doesn't have anything real to say to me, I'll kill him for making me go through that room.' I placed my hands out to both sides and walked carefully. The walls were surprisingly cold even in this warm a room. They had never been this cold, even in winters past. My fingers went across the door and I found the handle. I pushed the door open and listened to the sounds. People were here in the walkway…they weren't here a few minutes ago. 'That's what happens when so many people are in a different place than what they're used to. They move into every room too fast for anyone to notice.'

I put my right hand down at my side and used my left to make it to the grand hall's door. I passed someone sitting on the stairs and they called to me. I ignored them and continued on my mission. 'If I pretend I'm deaf as well, then no one will care about me being in their presence.' I thought harshly. I was so mad at Daisuke; I was even surprised at myself for being so. 'Why couldn't he tell me outside? It would have made so much more sense!' I opened the door to the grand hall and the noise erupted in my ears.

The air in here was hot and breathing was constricted by the amount of people placed in here. Everyone was cheerful, they were celebrating. 'How can they celebrate a death like this? It's unnatural, terrible…evil. Wrong.' The last word rang in my head as laughter could be heard from the other side of the room. "How can they enjoy this?" I muttered softly to myself, making sure no one heard what I said. I pressed myself against the wall and made it to the first open door. I repeated the same process twice until I made it to the lattice. From there, my hands roved the lattice until I made the opening, which was cluttered with people. I squeezed my way through the mass and opened the door to the rope hall.

It wasn't as cluttered in here, so I passed on the left side unnoticed by the few who were in here. As soon as I entered the entrance I noticed there weren't as many voices as should have been expected. I moved away from the door and listened to the voices. I strained my ears to hear Daisuke's voice, but I couldn't. 'He wasn't here? Did he lie again?' I shuffled my feet on the floor nervously with thoughts racing through my head. 'Please let nothing have happened to him.' No one seemed to notice that I was here. Voices and footsteps were heard on the other side of the room, near the entrance doors. The voices were low as if they were whispering to each other. I slid down the wall and sat on the cold floor. I placed my face in my hands and tried to think of where else Daisuke might be.

The door next to me opened and the person walked over the threshold and stopped. I could feel the person staring at me so I pretended I had fallen asleep. The person walked over to me and nudged my shoulder. "Akiko? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in your room?" I looked up and smiled. "Daisuke! Where were you?" I was so relieved he was alright. "I went to your room and waited for you. I thought you would go there before coming here." I could see how he thought that but he should've realized that I would come here since he said he would be. I opened my mouth to ask the question but he cut me off. "You want to know what I meant to tell you, don't you?" I nodded. "We should go to an empty room then." He grabbed my hand and we walked back to the koto room.

As soon as we entered the room, Daisuke stayed outside and walked around. After he seemed satisfied he shut the door and walked behind me to open the closet door. I listened to his footsteps go upstairs. After a couple of seconds he came back down and closed that door too. "What are you doing?" He didn't answer me so I asked again.

"Tell me if you hear anything, footsteps or voices, okay?" Daisuke said as I heard him sit down in front of me. I sat down and nodded. What was he so nervous about? "Well, I guess I'll start then. A couple days ago, I went upstairs to see Kirie," I opened my mouth in surprise. "We talked a bit about you. She does remember you and she's seen you often in the backyard. Kirie would talk to you if she could, but she can't. It's a part of the duty of the Shrine Maiden. She can't make any real bonds with anyone otherwise her ritual won't work." He paused. I remembered my last memory of Kirie being led away to her 'new room'. The image of her mouthing those words came back. I still was trying to figure out what she had said, even after all these years. "She wanted me to tell you something."

"Well, what is…?" I stopped. There were noises coming from outside. "What is it? Are there people coming?" Daisuke asked nervously. I strained to see if I could catch whose voices they were. They were coming closer. "It's the ceremony master, but there are lots of other noises. Many people have got to be there, in one group." I heard Daisuke jump up and I felt his hand tug me up with him. He opened the door and looked out.

"We just missed them," he said sadly. "I can't tell you the rest right now, Akiko. I'm sorry." I was speechless. Why? Why couldn't he finish? They were walking away so what was the problem? Finally I could speak. "Why not?" Daisuke didn't answer right away. "Why not!" I shouted. "If it's so important why can't you tell me? Daisuke!"

"Keep your voice down. I can't tell you. Don't worry about it." I could have hit him. I've never been so angry at anyone like this, except towards the master. I shook my head and pushed his hand away from mine. "How can I not worry about it? Daisuke how can anything from Kirie not be important?" I walked back toward the door to the koto room. My hand rested on the knob. Daisuke stepped forward, "Akiko, it's not that it'll do any good now. Kirie's going to die. She's already on her way down to the gate to fulfill her duty. That's why the master had a group of people. Everyone's going to see the ritual be performed. What she told me to tell you can't help anyone now. Just forget about it. Forget about her too."

I couldn't believe what he was saying to me, Daisuke my 'friend' was telling me to forget about Kirie. Kirie, my _real_ first friend. Ever. I couldn't just forget about her. It was impossible. I shook my head again. I had many things to say to him but I couldn't form it into the words I wanted. I backed away and slammed the door in his face. I held the knob tightly as Daisuke tried uselessly to open it. "Akiko, open the door. Come on, don't be so stubborn." I held the door even tighter after he said this. He tried to open it for a few more minutes then he stopped. I heard him walk away. He was going downstairs probably to follow the master and the priests. Probably to feel important. I let go of the knob and stood there frozen in front of the door. Anger I hadn't felt in years coursed through my whole body, anger aimed at everyone.

'**_They should all just die…I wouldn't care. I hope the ritual fails and they all die.'_**

I stayed in my room for a couple of hours, trying to get my anger under control. It was impossible. There was no way I could calm down. I had thrown a few things across the room and yelled in frustration at everything for the first hour. Now, I was sitting calmly with thoughts racing about again. I couldn't blame any one person for all that's happened, but I did blame my parents the most out of everyone I did blame. They were the ones who brought me here even though they didn't want to. They abandoned me in this place. They never came back. I hated them, no; hate was too weak a word for what I felt for them. Any word like it was too weak for my feelings toward them.

I put my knees up to my chest and placed my arms around them, exactly what I did when I was younger and in despair. A rumbling could be felt from underground. I lurched forward at the sudden movement as I felt a cold wave crash into me. I reached behind to grab the wall to steady myself. "What's happening?" I muttered. I could hear objects in my room clatter to the ground or rattle if they were already on it. The rumbling slowed down to a complete stop and I stood up. "An earthquake? It was really strong though," I said nervously. I listened to hear if there were any footsteps or other noises coming from outside. I couldn't hear anything. It was like the world just stopped. I decided to get out of the room. I walked over to it and tried to turn the knob. It was stuck!

I rammed my shoulder into it and it still wouldn't budge. "Come on, why won't it open?" Was something knocked loose and was blocking the door? No, that couldn't be right. I didn't hear anything drop outside. I tried again, knowing that it was useless. It still didn't move. "What's going on? Why won't it open?" I kicked the door angrily. Sighing I leaned against it but jumped away. It was freezing cold! I touched it lightly and felt the cold rush into me. I shuddered and backed away a few inches. "It wasn't cold a minute ago. It's colder than the walls all over the mansion are. This doesn't make any sense." I whined.

A thought hit me. 'If I can't open the main door I could open the door to the attic. Maybe that'll lead me somewhere.' Slowly and carefully, while trying not to step on any item scattered on the floor, I walked over to the attic door. I grabbed that knob and tried to slide it open. It wouldn't move either. Frantically, I tried to open it. "No, no, no. I can't be trapped here. Open, come on and open. Please let one door open." I pleaded. I gave up, but my hands still stayed on the door. I felt the cold seep through the room. I turned around quickly. "Why's it so cold?" I whispered. I shuddered and my hands moved up and down my arms to try and warm up. If I could see, I imagine that I probably could have seen my breath in front of me. I was so confused. What was going on here? Why wasn't anyone back yet? I walked around the room when a jet cold blast of air smacked into me. Surprised I jumped back against the wall. A small voice cold could be heard in the whole room as if it were an echo.

'**_They killed me…but they'll all die. All of them. They'll suffer just as I have….no one will leave.'_**

After the voice finished the cold left and the room felt normal. 'That voice…was so familiar. But…I've never heard it before.' Shaking, I walked over to the door and tried to open it again. It still wouldn't budge, however; the cold was gone. I went over to the other door and it was still stuck too. "Why can't I leave?" I shouted. A part of me hoped the voice would answer me. "Tell me why I can't leave! What's going on?" No answer came. It was a stupid move anyway, expecting a bodiless voice to answer me back. 'I must be going insane,' I thought, placing my hands on the sides of my head.

I started to walk around again, but just as I moved I heard frantic screams and thundering footsteps from downstairs. The whole house came to life again. I ran over to the door and pressed my ear against it to hear. Screaming could be heard from every room in the house. They all made a loud thunderous roar in my ears. People were pounding on walls and doors begging to get out. How could I hear _everyone_? The whole room seemed to echo with the noise just as it had done with the voice. Among the screams, one could be heard in particular. Loud maniacal laughter could be heard from directly downstairs, it must have been the grand hall. I pressed harder against the door crushing my ear further into it. Through the laughing I could hear, "It failed! It failed! Everyone has to die! Everyone has to pay for this sin! Everyone!"

The voice chilled me to the bone. It was the ceremony master's voice. What happened to him? What drove him to the edge? I backed away from the door horrified but the sounds could still be heard. I heard a gushing sound as the master continued his ranting. Louder screams, painful groans, gushing, and thuds. What was going on? "Stop it!" I shouted to the ceiling. "Stop, I don't want to hear it anymore! Please, stop it!" All the sounds from the house faded but could still be heard faintly through the walls. The sounds from the grand hall could still be heard at the same volume as before.

I went to a corner of the room and sat there while listening to the helpless people. "Why would anyone make these people suffer? They're innocent, they shouldn't die." I said quietly to myself. 'I wanted them to die though.' I remembered. 'I was angry then, I didn't really expect it to happen.' I thought, trying to console myself. The massacre went on for a while. Finally the grand hall's door slammed open and I could hear the master running around, laughing. I heard him come up the stairs and I retreated farther into my corner. The footsteps ran past the door and I could hear swishing among the ranting and laughing. The door to the tatami room opened and more screams were heard. Quietly, I waited for the screams to stop and the door burst open again when they did. I heard the master walking down the hall muttering lowly to himself. The footsteps died away, the door to the grand hall opened, and after a short while he yelled painfully and another thud and sharp clatter was heard. All was silent.

Slowly, I stood up and walked cautiously to the door. I put my hand on the knob again thinking that it would still be locked. To my surprise it opened just as easily as it always did. I stepped onto the wooden floor and felt the cold I had felt in the koto room. I hugged myself tighter to keep warm and walked to the tatami room. As I reached the door I stepped into a sticky liquid. I stepped over as much as I could and figured out that that door was locked too. I turned away and decided to go downstairs. I put my hands out to the sides and stepped down carefully. I wasn't going to the grand hall so the burial room was the only other room that would possibly be open and I could get out of here.

I walked cautiously and I still felt the sticky substance underneath my feet. Was this whole hall filled with blood? The door to the burial room wasn't locked and I passed through that room and went into the atrium. I walked outside into the chilly air and listened to the sounds. The same sounds from this morning could be heard. I walked on the porch and still felt the blood on my feet. I turned my head and tried to hear any other signs of life. "Am I the only one alive?" I asked quietly as I went down the small set of stairs that led to the open atrium. I felt and heard a soft crunching sound and I could feel soft droplets fall onto my face. Snow. It was snowing. "I can't be the only one alive. I can't be." It was so quiet here, so calm. Suddenly, the hair on the back of my neck stood up and the same dreadful cold from inside washed over me again. I turned around and listened to another crunching sound from the snow. 'I'm not the only person who's still alive. I'm not alone.' The sound came closer and the cold wrapped around me, suffocating me.

'**_You are alone, Akiko. You're the only one alive. I've killed everyone else…but not you. I didn't want you to die.'_**

I screamed and fell down. I backed away from the voice as fast as I could but it was useless. "Who are you?" I yelled. "Why did you do this? Why kill everyone?"

'**_Who am I? You don't know who I am? That offends me, Akiko…you should know.'_**

"I don't! I swear that I don't! Just leave me alone. Let me leave this place!'

'**_It's not that simple, Akiko. I just can't have you leave…and you won't…no one can.'_**

I felt as if I were being choked suddenly. My hands went to my neck to try and pull whatever it was off, but nothing was there! My mind was going black. I tried to get up but I couldn't move. My breathing was failing. Images of a teenager on a wheel of some sort flashed in my mind. I saw her life slowly squeezed out by the ropes tied to her limbs. The same ropes were tied to a giant closed door. The door pushed open and broke the ropes sending a wave that made everyone fall down. My head was pounding as the blood rushed to it.

I felt something running down my face. I thought they were tears but I had no eyes. The stream flowed down and a small strand went to my open mouth. It was blood. I struggled and before I took my last breath I heard the echoing voice say,

'**_I didn't want to die…I couldn't perform my duties as the Shrine Maiden…I'm so sorry, Akiko…it shouldn't have failed…"_**

"Kirie," I whispered. "How…why?"

"_**I'm sorry…you can't leave…ever…"**_


End file.
